Boy With the Bread
by JaceHeronduck
Summary: So, what if Katniss and Peeta didn't have to go into the games a second time? What if they were mentoring you say? Well, of course they'd find a way to spice it up. Can Katniss and Peeta both learn to ignore their ties with their triubutes? Will THEY be in charge of a rebellion? And don't forget good ol' Snow getting in there and screwing stuff up! VERY LIGHT STORY, minimal drama.
1. Chapter 1

**Found this old Story written three years ago.. If it sucks, just know i've improved GREATLY**

Chapter One

The sun rises with the smell of warm bread in our downstairs bakery in district 12. The warmth comforted me in my younger ages but at seven-teen I can't wait to get my own shop at twenty. _Just three more years. _I reminded myself. I get out of bed and walk to the mirror. My blue eyes looked dilated from the early sun and my blond, short hair looked golden. But the thing that stood out the most was my artificial leg. I still remember how I got it. Actually it was only a year ago.

The Hunger Games were towards the middle and Cato a boy that I had teamed up with, had betrayed me and sliced a huge gash in my left thigh with his sword. I hobbled along a river but then couldn't go any longer and found a place to rest. I was pretty sure I was coming close to death when Katniss, now only my friend thanks to another story, saved my life. I remember her callings for me. I would have screamed out to her to come to where I was, but I didn't have the strength to talk let alone yell. She eventually found me, cleaned me up, and did her best to tend to my wound, but it still was a severe injury. We ended up staying together in a dim, cold cave and eventually won the Hunger Games. We did have a thing going on, not too big just a lot of kissing and acting like we were in love, But I found out that Haymitch, our mentor, had told her to act so we'd get more sponsors. I, however, never had to act. I really was in love with Katniss. I mean, who wouldn't? Her brown hair, always in a long beautiful braid and her grey eyes that sparkles in the sun, and beautifully reflects the moon. Then came the hovercraft. I was taken under surgery, but they couldn't save my wounded leg. They gave me an artificial one and to this day, it works pretty well.

"Peeta, come down right now! Your father needs you to flower the bread! And take some to that survivor, Katniss!" orders my mother outside my room. I dart to my closet and get on my finest, yet casual, clothes and clean my hair and teeth. I open the door, run downstairs and flower the bread, fast, but neatly. I get a loaf of bread, but when my mom isn't looking I grab a second one. I rush outside and the spring sun greets my face. I walk to the seam and knock on Katniss' door. Sadly her mother opens the door. I hand her the bread and am about to turn around when I say.

"May I speak to Katniss?" Her mother smiles and goes inside. I hear her soft voice call for Katniss and she comes to the door.

"Hello, Peeta. Long time no see." She says hollowly.

"Hey. I just wanted to say good luck." I say smiling.

"For what?" she replies. My smile turns into a serious face and I can feel my shoulders drop.

"The reaping, it's today." I say. The reaping is where two teenagers from each district get sent into the Hunger Games. This would be our first year mentoring the next Games generation. I soon feel guilty because I wasn't the politest person with her.

"Oh. Thank you. Good luck to you too," She says. "I'm so sorry, but I have to go now." She puts her lips to my ear and whispers. "I have to go hunting with…" her voice trails off. Now my face is glum and she gives me a sly smile and grabs my hand. She pulls me out to the field. When I think we are going to stop she pulls me up to the fence. My eyes grow wide with fear when she darts under the wire.

"What are you doing? You could get killed." I snap at her. Her smile grows wider and she says.

"Then we will get killed together." And with that she shoves me down and drags me under the fence. She grabs my arms and helps me up. _I thought she didn't want to be around me! _I think. But she pulls me into the woods and we walk like ten yards further and she sits down. I sit by her. She pulls something out of her jacket. It's one of my loaves of bread. "What? Can't two friends illegally eat together?" she laughs.

"I guess. But I thought we weren't seeing each other. You know, after the train and all?" I say my face dropping of expression. I guess my face turned green because she is leaning over to feel my forehead. She leans back and her face is serious.

"You don't look good," she says sliding over next to me and wrapping her jacket around me. "And the train. I was being selfish and I am really sorry. But I've been thinking…" Her voice trails off.

"Thinking about what?" I ask. She looks at me and brushes my hair out of my eyes. She looks down.

"Well, us. And I know it's really too late and I really owe this to you but. I've been thinking and I started, you know, falling for you too." She says. I blush and stare at the grass. We sit there in silence. Finally I hear faint yelling on the other side of the fence. My mother was yelling at Katniss' mom and was wondering where I was.

"Uh Oh, I have to go!" I laugh. I stand up but she stands up with me. She doesn't let go of me and intertwines our fingers.

"Do you still feel the same way?" she asks. I don't have time to answer so I pull her in and impulsively kiss her. After about seven seconds I pull away and try to let go of her hand. But she links arms with me. "We'll go together. She'll spare you if I say I was showing you Prim's goat. Alright?" she explains. We go under the fence and walk up to my mother.

"Peeta! Where were you? It's almost time for the reaping!" she yells.

"Sorry, ma'am, it's my fault. I was showing him Prim's goat." Katniss says boldly.

"Well in that case, okay. But, Peeta, we must go!" mother says. I let go of Katniss' hand and let my mother drag me to my room. My father is waiting for me with a blue suit. I change into it and clean my teeth and hair. I then head to the square where the other children twelve to eight-teen stand waiting for their fate. I find Katniss and stand next to her on the big stage. But she doesn't notice me. She is looking off stage at a boy with brown hair and grey eyes. I realize its Gale and quickly say.

"Is that my competition?" she whips around and laughs. By the time we stop it's time for the tributes to be drawn. Effie draws a name out of the girl's bowl and my heart skips a beat when she says who it is.

"Chloe Frank!" says Effie overly enthusiastic. She was 12 and I used to teach her some cake decorating. Effie draws a name and announces it. "Ryan Greenly!" this time it's Katniss's turn. She leans over to me and whispers.

"That's the boy that Prim would invite over to help with Lady." Lady is Prim's goat. Ryan was also a twelve year old. For some reason I felt as if district 12 would yet again not have a victor this year. I look over and Katniss has a hint of sadness on her face, also understanding that the odds for district 12 winning were not in our favor. The ceremony concludes, and with the time that the tributes are saying their goodbyes Katniss and I head off for the train.

We get in the car and Katniss's wrist muscles tighten getting a firm grip on the armrests. I assume it was because of the memories of our last games and getting in this same car driving to meet our death. Effie hums all the way to the train station and Haymitch sighs heavily. I can tell he is annoyed at her humming, which is slightly off key. To block out the noise I focus on my journal filled with sketches. I flip past the page with the song that I wrote after the first games on it, but not before Katniss sees it. "What's that?" she asks.

I hand her the journal. "It's just a song I wrote. It's from one of my favorite memories of the Games. It calmed me down in the arena-the memory." I say looking down at the ground. Katniss picks up the tune and starts singing softly.

_I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'd never let you go,_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light,_

_I remember you said "don't leave me here alone",_

_But all that's dead and gone and past tonight,_

_Just close your eyes,_

_The sun is going down,_

_You'll be alright,_

_ No one can hurt you now,_

_Come morning light,_

_You and I'll be safe and sound._

She stops and looks at the paper closely. At the bottom a drawing is done of her by me. She smiles and glances up at the trees. It's not until she does this that I know why she is smiling. The picture is her singing and the mockingjays silent picking up her tune. I open my mouth to speak but we arrive at the train station with Effie's tight schedule and we were shooed into our compartments. I sit on the bed and realize I left my journal in the protection of Katniss. I jump off the bed and run to her room. I knock on her door and she opens it. She must have changed once she got here because now she is wearing is a green tank top and the blue jeans provided by the capitol. She smiles at me and takes my hand. With one move I'm sitting in one of the two chairs. She pulls the second one up beside me and sits.

"I like your song. I remember all of that too. It tells the story well." She says. But the expression on her face falls to exhaustion and pain. Tears swell in her eyes. Before the first one makes an appearance on her cheek I pull her off her chair and sit her in my lap. I wrap my arms around her. "I'm scared. I can't afford to go through anything that has to do with the games again." She sobs. I pull her even closer. I want to whisper something in her ear, but I'm afraid I'd start to cry. So we sit there silently until a tear escapes on my face. She wipes it off and rests her head on my chest. We sit until Haymitch barges in as drunk as ever. I make no effort to try and deny what he sees. He looks at us eyes wide.

"What's going on? I've never seen that before!" he yells. I shake my head and he thumps to the ground vomiting. I sigh and get up. Katniss helps me get him into the bath I am drawing. I strip him of his clothes. Katniss winces and goes to lie down. I scrub the vomit off of him and he seems to enjoy the comfort. I leave him to soak and go to tend Katniss. I sit on her bed and she looks at me with a soft smile on her face.

"Are you okay?" I ask. She nods. "There's no need to be scared. We just have to mentor them send them off and the rest of the stay is at the training center's hotel. I promise." She seems comforted by this. We jolt and start rolling out of the station. Haymitch starts coughing and I go into the bathroom. He seems to no longer be drunk.

"Hey! Get me out!" he yells. I help him dry and get dressed. He sits in the chair Katniss and I sat in. I sit back on the bed with Katniss curled up on it. She sits up and looks at Haymitch carefully listening. "Congratulations mentors. You are going to teach the tributes how to be as good as you. Or at least close. So my advice is to think of the worst moment of your experience in the arena. Then think of what you did to get out of the situation and survive. Then you tell them. That's all you need to do. Let Effie and I take care of the rest. Be at every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Oh, I almost forgot. You two have another interview together!" I look at Katniss, but she isn't listening. She's unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

**Y'all r lucky im posting this story, so please try to see the positives... .**

Chapter Two

"Katniss!" I scream. She won't wake up. I look at Haymitch wildly and he shrugs. "Do something!" I scream at him. He sighs, but gets up and leaves. He returns with a confused Effie. I explain to her what I saw. She checks her pulse and its beating. She motions for me to follow her with Katniss. I pick her up and follow Effie to the infirmary compartment of the train. I set her on the cot and pull up a chair. After ten minutes of stroking her hand, checking her pulse, and checking the clock on the wall, the doctor comes in. He tells me to leave. I exit the infirmary and go into the screening room and see Effie and Haymitch.

"Haymitch, listen, please. Something made her pass out. I can't figure it out but I know it was some sort of nerve or an anxiety attack." says Effie.

Haymitch registers this for a moment then replies. "Okay, but what about poor Peeta? This isn't helping his case. He cares about her and I can't stand to see him freaking out and trying to do anything for her. He'll lose it."

"I will." I say. They jump at my reply and obviously didn't know I was in there. Compassion falls across Effie's face.

"I know. She'll be fine sweetie. Just try and get some rest tonight. She'll be well in the morning. Just a little nerves that's all." says Effie.

"And it isn't even your fault. She is just nervous about watching someone she knows go into the arena." says Haymitch.

I turn and leave I go back into my room. I get ready for bed and climb in. It's about three in the morning when I finally see the light in the screening compartment go out. I make my way to the infirmary. When I get there Katniss is still sleeping. I pull up the chair next to her bed and start singing.

_Are you are you coming to the tree,_

It's all I can sing before her eyes flutter open and she glances at me. She grabs my hand and I stroke it. I see a hint of pain in her eyes and I let go of her hand. She grabs it back quickly. I finally say. "How are you doing? I found out it was an anxiety attack. I waited until no one was up to come see you. Thought we might talk. But I see you are in no mood to do that." I say. I hear a faint giggle come from her throat and she tries to sit up. Her eyes glance over to the office of the doctor. He's coming.

"I thought I might find you in here. How are you Peeta?" says Dr. Gill.

"I'm fine. More importantly how's Katniss?" I ask.

He smiles and walks over to her. I get up and let Dr. Gill ask her questions. "Are you ready to leave and go back to your compartment?" she nods. "Do you want me to take you?" she nods again. "Are you sure you are alright? I want to make sure you-"

"I'm fine." She says. He smiles and takes her hand. She slides off of the bed and walks with Dr. Gill. We make it to the screening room and she stumbles. We decide to have her sleep in there so she doesn't have to walk further. She lies on the couch that wraps around the big screen. Dr. Gill returns with a blanket and pillow for Katniss. I thank him and he walks back to his office. It isn't long before Katniss starts talking to me.

"You look tired," She says when I flip the switch to the lights in the screening room. "You should go get some sleep."

Instead of my rejecting I sing a line from the song I wrote. _I remember you said "don't leave me here alone" _and it gets her attention.

She sits up and looks into the dark screen. "Then don't. Stay with me." She whispers.

"Always." It doesn't take long for her to fall asleep. I lay at the other end of the couch for a while until I fall asleep. But it isn't too long before screaming wakes me up. I bolt off of the couch and see Katniss eyes wide and terrified. I walk over to her and lay her head in my lap. She falls asleep again, but I don't. I stay up watching the room and studying her face. She wakes up about an hour later protesting that she is rested. I don't believe her but I don't argue. We sit there until Effie comes in telling us that it's going to be a big, big, big day. We get up and get ready. I go to the dining hall to see Chloe, Ryan, Effie, Haymitch, and Katniss. I take a seat next to Katniss and Effie starts introducing everyone. Chloe looks terrified when she hears what Katniss's worst event was shared. But she calms down when Katniss says that she just had to run, which Chloe is apparently good at. I share mine, obviously being the sword slash from Cato and explain that Katniss was there for me. This turns into a big talk about always-being-there-for-each-other and teamwork-is-best. Then we eat the eggs and fried potatoes and drink the tart orange juice. Once breakfast is over we go down into the screening room and watch the recaps of the reaping. There's nothing to say because they were just as bad as ours last year. Chloe was crying and Ryan throwing up. The train jolts to a sudden stop. But it's not because we are there. It's because there was an explosion that blew the train up right in front of our eyes. The force throws us straight into the air and off the train.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go again... R&R babes**

Chapter Three

"Peeta?" I hear but can't see. Come to think of it I can't even move. I accept that surly the explosion blinded and paralyzed me, but when I can open my eyes I know I am alright. My hand flies into the air and touches Katniss's burn on her cheek lightly. I examine her grey eyes and face for any injuries. She's good. I sit up in the soft grass and wipe my face. As soon as I look at my red hand I know it's bad. The warm blood trickles down my arm and I scream. Out loud. I don't care who hears me because I'm caught up in the events that flash by. Ryan is unconscious and Chloe is sobbing. Effie's wig was blown right off of her head. I laugh but end up spitting out a big mouthful of blood. I'm carried by a stable Haymitch into the building of the train station a long way ahead. I guess they had carried me to the station, because we are here, at district 6's station. While Katniss and Haymitch bandage my hand wound, Effie is talking furiously into a telephone and demanding that they get us another tributes train. When she sighs of relief I infer that they did send out one. My inference is acknowledged when I hear a train pull up about an hour later. This one will take us straight to the capitol and drop us off at the training center building's station. The rest of the ride is a blur between me being knocked out and me going under treatment for my head, which is also critical. When we arrive we step onto the elevator press the number 12 and fly upwards. When the door opens I take Katniss's hand and we go to our old rooms. I am dropping her off at her door when I see the time. 12:00 pm. When her door closes it automatically locks from the outside and inside. No one will be able to get in and no one able to get out. It's like she reads my mind because she pulls me into the room and closes the door fast. I hear a click and I know it's too late for me to leave. We find two chairs in the closet and set them across from each other. We sit down in silence and then she says. "I hope you didn't mind me doing that. With the nightmares… I couldn't handle it. Sorry." She says.

"Don't be. I can't handle anything right now. I've pretty much seen my life flash by my eyes." I laugh. She laughs too but then stops. Her face changes to serious. "What?" I ask.

"The interview, everyone will expect us to step it up a notch. What is there to step up?" she asks.

"I don't know really. But let's not think about that right now. Just try and get some sleep. Tomorrow Haymitch will go over interviewing and we'll be sent off to give it our all. But whatever happens… Just know that… this isn't an act, me in love with you. I love you. I need you with me. Just be glad we don't have to go through the games. I don't think I could live with myself if I let you slip away from me." She nods and I kiss her nose, but I was aiming for her lips. I work my way down to her lips. She pulls away and goes to get ready. I wait until she is done and I go in. I get changed and clean my teeth. When I finish I go in the room and lie down wrapping my arms around Katniss's warm body. It's comforting. She wakes up, stirring until she bolts up and starts crying. "What was it about?" I ask.

"Mutts. They were gnawing at my feet. Then one grabbed you and started biting you. I can't handle these nightmares anymore. They mock and torture the ones I love. And the worst part was…" her sobs trail off and crying begins. This, I can tell, is the worst nightmare yet. The way her body got tense and cold, the way she started trembling. I brush her hair out of her eyes.

"What was the worst part?" I ask. I keep brushing the strand of hair that keeps falling in her eyes, out of the way. I look into her intense grey eyes and can tell she is forcing herself to choke out these next four words.

"The Mutt was Gale." She sobs. They only get worse. My expression turns to anger. Gale has been the one interfering with Katniss's guilt. He chokes her in her dreams and talks terrible things into her head. I get up and go to the door. I try to open it but I find it was locked. I go back to her.

"This needs to stop. I hate seeing you like this. It's been forever since we've ever been able to enjoy being together. And you're always exhausted because of sleep lack. When did these nightmares start?" I ask.

"The night we got off the train. Guilt ate me up for not saying anything about your love for me. I knew I loved you back, but then I couldn't get Gale out of my head. The way he said we could run away, the day of the reaping, made me feel bad because I knew he loved me too. And then I couldn't even look into his eyes until… the day he kissed me. But you pulled my heart towards you, but I felt bad for Gale again. That's when they started getting worse. You wanting me but I wanted Gale. I just can't take it!" she proclaims.

"Think about your mother. Or just live in the moment like me." I say.

"Okay. I'll try it. Thanks." Katniss says laying back down in my arms. We sleep until late afternoon and Effie barges in on us. Her eyes grow wide at the sight of our sleeping. She pulls me out of bed and pushes me into my room. There my prep team, Audrey, Clyde, and Patricia, get me bathed and Portia, my stylist comes in. She holds up my interview suit, which is red with orange flames running down the collar, and puts me in it. She pushes me out of the room down into the dining room. Katniss and Haymitch sit at the table alone eating rice and lamb stew. I sit and eat silently until Haymitch speaks up.

"I've decided to give you two a day off. You've learned your interview style last time. So I need to teach Chloe and Ryan the basics and then I'll send you guys off. The chariots weren't a big hit. Ryan fainted and fell off and Chloe started crying." explains Haymitch. I shake my head. I knew we wouldn't do so well. I get up and go to the roof. I'm sitting in the arch in the garden when Katniss comes over to me and sits across from me. I pull her close and rest my chin on the top of her head. She speaks in a soft, quiet voice.

"Do you ever wonder… about your future? Like, who you'll end up with, your job, your house? If you'll have children?" I start to laugh but she looks up at me, her face serious.

I turn my head away and stare at the roses. The sunset orange ones catch my eyes. I try to come up with an answer, but it seems too stupid. I go with it anyways. "Only always. But I feel like no one wants me. I'm just a baker's son. I'm no hunter, or healer."

"You're right. You aren't a hunter or a healer… You're so much more. People want you, more than me. You have a lot going for you. I see it, and others see it too. Gale sees it. He thinks you're his competition and he says there's no way that I'd choose him over you." She says looking into my eyes almost guilty like. I sit there examining the wound on her face from the explosion. It's a soft pink gouge in her flesh. It's pretty deep too. She notices that I'm staring at it because her fingers trace the deep line. Her grey eyes fill with pain when she touches it and I pull her hand off of it. She gets up and walks inside leaving me here alone. I don't try to go after her though. Instead I sit and think of what she said. _'Gale sees it too… He thinks there's no way I'd choose him over you.' _I can't picture him saying anything like that. Mainly because I've seen the way she looks at him, and I know he sees it too. Was she just saying it to make me feel better? If so, that's a dirty game to play, and I don't have time to get myself dirty. But then again, did she mean it? I decide to get up and go watch the interview training, so I could give them advice about not messing up the most important part of the sponsor game.

In the room sits a very pleased Haymitch and a confused Chloe. She's answering one of the hardest questions to answer before the games. 'What is your opinion on the Games?'.

She answers angrily. "Nothing! This is all just something for entertainment! But have you ever thought about our families and friends? They fear for our lives! They count down the days until their child meets their death!" Haymitch's pleased expression fades to an unconvincing smile. I feel my eyes widen and my eyebrows shoot up.

"Peeta, what did you think of that? Bad? Maybe horrible?" asks Haymitch. I roll my eyes and sit in one of the chairs next to Haymitch. I bite my lip while I try to figure out what to say.

"Well, it was a strong opinion… But I don't think you'll get many sponsors with that answer… It's all about sugar coating… Haymitch, ask me any question." I say trying to be the nicest I can.

"How do you think Effie looked this morning with her bright orange hair?" Haymitch snickers.

"It was a very bold choice, perfect for fall. One of my favorite colors is orange, actually." I say nodding my head in approval. I wait a second the say. "See? You must sugar coat things but not pick any favorites. You may have a favorite and the sponsors may go against that. Or if you bash something, but someone likes it, then most likely they won't want to sponsor you." Chloe nods as I'm speaking making sure to take everything in. Her face shows determination and it reminds me of Katniss's. The thought send a shot of pain right through my heart. After she left me I'd begun to realize that none of her nightmares would have started if I hadn't just let myself die in the arena. But she had to come and save me. Is there a chance that if I had died, that she would still have nightmares about my death? Could Rue be a cause of this? Prim? Gale? I decide not to fight with my thoughts and to just work on what I came here to do. So I thank Haymitch for letting me help and I get up and shove all thoughts of Katniss and her nightmares deep down. It struggles to rise again, but I don't allow it. If I was going to focus on what I came here to do I needed no distractions. Right? I leave the room and walk to my room. I slump on my bed and fall asleep. It feels like only a couple of minutes had passed when Effie comes banging on my door telling me to make my way to the elevator for the interview. I get up and follow her orders. When I get to the elevator Effie is gone and the only two there are Haymitch and Katniss. This whole no-distraction thing was going to be difficult.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Silence. An awkward silence remains controlling us the rest of the ride to the interview area. They always interviewed the winning tribute, or in this case-tributes, at the following Hunger Games interview. I was actually looking forward to it. That is until Katniss comes up to me backstage and says. "The act is still on. Good luck." Those were the words I never wanted to hear her have to say again. That really made me sure that she doesn't love me for real. I smile awkwardly and walk to my seat on the stage. Katniss sits next to me… well not really next to me but on me. She is sprawled out on my lap and is resting her head on my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her and look at Cesar Flickerman. He starts off by joking about the games, to warm up the audience. Than he talks about how much fun everyone had last games watching us fall crazily in love. Then he talks about the berries, directing it towards Katniss. After a short conversation about the fear of what the capitol will do he asks her this. "We know you guys are in love and all, but do you ever think about your future? What you will do when you grow up, or who you will marry?"

I decide I'll go first. I simply say. "Yes." And he pushes me on, encouraging me to spill all of the tiny details. I finally give up on fighting him about it. "Well, don't we all think about our future? For me, I mainly think about who I will be with for the remainder of my life. Isn't marriage the start of everything in your future? It affects your future kids, your income, your friends, your house, and possibly even your job." He is satisfied with my answer and turns to Katniss but I see she doesn't want to answer so impulsively I get the love show on the roll and kiss her on the lips so she doesn't have to talk. But she pulls away and answers.

"Cesar, I think about it constantly, but unlike Peeta, I know who I want to end up with… because I love him. Peeta is a great guy, he is comforting, but serious, and he jokes around, has an amazing talent at baking, and he's all mine. I don't want anyone to change anything about him. I want him to be the same Peeta that threw me the bread. I love _that_ Peeta." She says emotional. Something in her voice gives me the hint that it was real. Or maybe I was so oblivious and she convinced me too. But I can't comment because Cesar is going mad with questions, like 'How do you feel about that Peeta?' and 'Do you feel the same way?' But the only one I answer is the hardest comment ever.

He says. "Tell me about the day of the boy with the bread."


	5. Chapter 5

**DOPE! NEVER ASK A GIRL Y SHE LOVES U xD**

Chapter Five

This makes Katniss squeak. I clear my throat. "We were twelve. Katniss had fallen into hard times and I am a baker's son. One day I had burned bread… only one thing no one knows is that I… I did it on purpose. I knew she was out there starving to death in the harsh winter. So I burnt the bread. It came with a price, but I did it anyway. My mother beat me until I was red in the face. She shoved me outside with the two loaves of bread and demanded I feed them to the pigs. She didn't see Katniss… But I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. I made it look natural and fed the first loaf to the pigs. But the second… the second…" I trail off. I can see Cesar getting teary and Katniss wasn't any better. I didn't have the voice to go on, so Katniss finished for me.

"He threw the second one to me. A girl who he never met, but could still tell she was the one for him. It was a hopeful day for my family." Katniss chokes out. She glances at me as a cue to plant one on her, but I don't. Instead I remain quiet staring into her beautiful grey eyes until the buzzer sounds, indicating that our interview time is up, about 2 seconds later. I thank Cesar and walk briskly backstage. Katniss follows and we take our seats in the back. She collapses into the chair beside me and starts crying. I grasp her face and make her look into my watery eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I feel like I owe you so much… for you protecting me in the arena, for you staying by my side when the nightmares got worse… and for you throwing the bread." The list would have gone on and on, but I lean in and kiss her, and I don't come up until I desperately need air. As the tribute interviews begin we focus on watching them. The district 1 boy, named Glass, about 14 years old, wearing a white suit with a sparkly collar, answers the questions blandly, not caring about getting sponsors. District 1 girl named Sonny, has the same attitude. The districts go down the line in boy-girl order and we tune back in when district 12 tributes begin being questioned. First up is Ryan, who I hadn't seen in training. He does pretty well, actually, with only a few minor flaws. Then Chloe steps up. The interview begins with easy questions.

"How old are you Chloe?" asks Cesar.

"Twelve." Replies Chloe.

"What do you do best, that you think you could use in the arena?"

"I don't know. I like to sing I guess."

"Sing something." Cesar says smiling. As Chloe begins to sing Katniss sings along with her, but there's a certain tone in her voice that tells me that the song means something to her.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your eyes  
And when they open, the sun will rise_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet–  
–and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet–  
– and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

_Here is the place where I love you._

It's not until she touches her mockingjay pin, that she offered to Rue before she died, that I know she sang it to her when she was speared by the boy from district 1. I dwell on the song until the interviews are over, the anthem plays, and the seal of the capitol disappears. We make our way to the training center to watch the interviews on T.V.

Over all they do well, with only a few minor flaws. I get wide eyed when Chloe starts singing. But Chloe isn't the main focus. Katniss is. She was singing along with her on the arena, but they cut Chloe out after a while and the attention goes to Katniss's voice. She tenses up in my arms as we watch her singing. Once she is done they show the seal and play the anthem. The whole thing is over right after. The screen fades to black as I think._ Everyone will only remember the song._ What will the capitol think? I know it doesn't seem like much, but this song triggers up Rue, the reason Katniss decided to rebel and pull out the berries. All we can do is hope that the capitol doesn't realize it.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

That night we can't stand to not talk. I go into her room and when the door locks I sit in the chair across the room. Katniss sits on the bed and we are silent for a while. She opens her mouth to speak but instead of words that come out, it's a scream. She screams angrily and once she's done I start speaking.

"Well, sorry. I can't leave now. The door locks by itself." I say jokingly innocent. She gives a small roll of the eyes, but the Katniss I love quickly disappears into an angry, but sad girl. She throws her pillow at me almost knocking over my chair. But when she gets up to retrieve it she collapses into my lap, causing me to fall over backwards, sucking the wind out of me. When I get oxygen back into my lungs I laugh uncontrollably. She stares at me obviously not feeling like laughing. "What's wrong? Did I do anything?" I ask trying to sound serious.

"Not you...but the capitol. They put children in the arena to kill each other. All for a show! All for a stupid population decrease! She doesn't deserve to go! She's like me; I can see me in her. It's like what Cinna said to me. If I could bet I'd bet on her. And on top of the games… there's you… and Gale. I feel if I wait too long-"

"I'd never leave you. He may, but I will never leave you. I would wait a thousand lifetimes-"

"But if I wait-"

"No, Katniss! I won't tolerate it! I've waited twelve years. I won't leave. I promise." I stare into her eyes and keep staring until there's a knock on the door. With another click Haymitch and Effie burst into the room. They look angry, a little too angry.

"Who screamed?" yells Haymitch.

"I did. I want to get out of here…now. I want to get out of these games. I can't take it anymore. You guys are wonderful, but I can't stand the capitol. They cause too much pain for me." Katniss explains. Effie looks sympathetic, but exhausted. Without word Haymitch shakes his head and leaves the room. I walk out with them, but I drop a shoe in between the door and the door frame, so it won't lock and I wait, holding my door open, until the lights turn off in both Haymitch, and Effie's room. I walk into Katniss' room and I see that she was waiting for me too. Satisfaction fills her face as she climbs into her bed. I stroke her hair for a while than lay beside her. This time it's her arms that comfort me. It takes no longer than 3 minutes to fall asleep. This is the first time we've gotten a full night's sleep. No nightmares or scary thoughts. I wake up fully rested. Today, the Hunger Games begin.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

We have a slow day today. It's mainly filled with last minute advice to the tributes of district 12, and maybe a few dinner meetings. The rest of the day is mine... or Katniss and mine. We eat breakfast alone than head into the screening room where we give the last piece of advice. Haymitch's, like last time, is to simply stay alive, Katniss' is try to get the weapon you are best at, and still stay alive, mine is to be a loner unless you make each other an ally, which is the best thing to do. We send them off and say our goodbye's at the elevator. We watch as the floors count up on the screen, indicating their arrival at the roof, where they will be lifted into the hovercraft, and we walk back to the screening room. I grab Katniss' hand and Haymitch comes up behind us and whispers, loudly. "You know you don't have to keep up the star crossed-lover act anymore."

"I know." says Katniss with a smart-alic tone. Haymitch rolls his eyes, but under the annoyance he's smiling. A shot of pain cuts into my heart as the memories re-appear in my head, and I let go of her hand. She tries to grab it back but I shake my head. She makes a hurt expression and I shrug.

"Haymitch is right. We don't need to keep this act up anymore. That's camera stuff." I say glumly. Her hurt expression deepens and it turns into anger towards Haymitch. I'm walking to the couch in the screening room when I hear her mumble to Haymitch.

"Really?" She comes and sits on the opposite side of Haymitch and I. We watch as Cinna and Chloe say goodbye and Chloe is lifted up into the arena.

This year it's a big dirt plane for about half a mile in a huge circle. Then one quarter there's nothing but water. On the quarter next to it there's grassland for about 3 miles back. The next quarter is woods that slice into half of the next quarter. The next eighth is nothing but tree stumps, and a few caves. If I were in the arena I'd find a cave to stay in. But I'd also make sure it was by the lake. As I strategize I seem to be squinting and shaking my leg. It isn't long before I notice everyone staring at me. I smile and force my leg to stop. My eyes go back to the television. My body tenses when I hear the count down. "Five, four, three, two, one" And a cannon fire, indicating you are allowed to step off of your metal plate. But something horribly wrong makes me wince. The first five kids step off after the cannon, but the next thing I see is limbs and flesh being blown off of them. Someone re-activated the mines. The explosion sends a few kids flying off of their plates into the dirt. This could be the worst blood bath, beginning I've ever seen in my life. Katniss seems surprised by this too, because she asks. "Are they allowed to do that? I've never seen that happen before!" Effie just looks down and nods her head. Haymitch couldn't give a care at all. He's too drunk to know what's going on. Instead he points a shaky finger at the screen.

His eyes are wide and I can just make out the slurs. "Whoa, did you guys see that?" I snort and Katniss giggles. But this doesn't change anything between us. I've pretty much just confirmed that I wouldn't treat her any more than a friend, when she nudges me and points up. This can only mean one thing. She wants me to go to the roof with her. Before I can object she pulls me up and drags me to the elevator.

We stand in silence as the elevator thrust us upwards. We get to the roof and she goes to the garden. I go to the railing, by the force field, and look at the empty streets. I guess it was because everyone was watching the opening night of the games. Katniss comes over to where I am standing and just examines my face. She looks like she is studying my eyes. I don't look into hers because I know they'll hypnotize me into her thoughts, and I'll end up loving her again. It wouldn't be the first time that happened.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asks.

"Fine." I shrug. The truth was I was starting to get a cold, and a runny nose.

"You don't look fine. What's bothering you?" she asks.

I still don't look into her eyes when I answer her. "I'm just confused…with my life. I think they changed me."

"Who changed you?" She asks.

"The capitol, the game makers…I used to be sure that you were the one. And that I was good enough. But now I'm a confused mess. I don't think I'm anything compared to you." I say creasing my eyebrows towards the city.

"Peeta, that's called self-confidence. No one has that. You judge yourself too harshly." She looks into my eyes.

I have to turn away because I can feel myself being pulled into her thoughts. I don't say anything. I just stare into the nothingness of the starless sky. It's this way for what seems like forever.

"What happened to the boy with the bread?" she asks.

This time I'm forced to look into her eyes. I can't tell if she was joking, but I see she isn't. "What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"I mean, what happened to the boy who knew I was the one for him. What happened to the boy who had life figured out?" she explains. I see her face shows disappointment.

"Katniss, people change. What happened to the girl with the pigtails?" Now it's my turn to be disappointed.

"So you don't love me anymore?" her voice cracks and she looks hurt. Her face scrunches up.

"Well do you?" I say raising my voice. "Does it even matter what I think? Everyone says it's an act! And I can't live with the guilt of forcing you to act like you're into me!" I yell. Tears stream down my face from embarrassment.

She turns on her heels and walks. "Who said anything about acting?" her voice cracks, than runs into the building to the elevator.

I slump against my door when I reach my room. My head falls into my hands and I feel my face go hot. _It was all an act. I was tricked again!_ I think sending hot tears down my cheeks making them burn. I feel empty when I go to sleep that night. I find myself waking up to the feeling of wrapping my arms around nothing. Somewhere in the fifth continuous hour of no sleep I get up and turn my light on. I go into the restroom and spray myself with cold water to help myself not sweat. My nose is running like crazy, and my head hurts like it is being squished by the mutt's big meaty hands. I start getting dizzy and go back to my bed. I scrunch into a ball hugging my knees and facing my door, waiting for Effie to come knocking on the door. When the first knock sounds on my door I fly out of bed, glad to be able to do something, but instead of Effie standing at the door, a mess of brown hair and tired, blotchy, grey eyes stand at my door. I close my eyes and open them hoping she'd be gone, but she isn't. She sniffles and says. "Can we at least be friends?" I sigh. _Never going to work! We can't go thirty minutes without kissing or holding hands! And when we do we practically kill ourselves!_

"If you think it'll work. Look I'm really tired. I'm just saying, I may not be the nicest person with you, until I get some sleep." I sigh. Somewhere under the mess of hair flopping in front of her face, I see a hint of a smile. I laugh and brush her hair out of her face. It's a tangled mess, so I get my brush and start brushing her hair. "Ah, there we go, I found Katniss." I laugh. She rolls her eyes and thanks me. She leaves, about to close my door. "Katniss, wait!" I yell. She turns shushing me.

"It's only four in the morning! What do you need?" she whispers.

"I don't know what I need. I need you I guess." I say. Her eyes brighten up and a hint of relief comes across her face. I allow myself a solid ten seconds of looking into her eyes.

"You finally realized it. And I realized that we can't go thirty minutes without being together. I'm sorry for yelling at you." She says and throws herself at my chest wrapping her arms around my neck. I don't hesitate before embracing her. My head ach and my nose feel better immediately. She really is a healer. I guess this is the end of my plan. And for once I'm okay with that. We stay embraced for what feels like an hour, but is only about a minute. We grasp each other's hand, our fingers intertwining. We walk down to the dining hall and find Effie and Haymitch in there talking.

"I can't believe we are winning right now! It's incredible! I guess Katniss' advice paid off. And Peeta's too. They seem to have made each other allies. Haymitch, we could win this thing!" exclaims Effie. Haymitch nods towards us. Effie turns around and sees us. She has a face full of excitement. "Did you hear?" she asks grinning. We nod and smile and Haymitch squints at us, knowing that we don't like the idea of our winning, because other children have to die because of us. He keeps squinting until Effie turns back to him. He smiles reassuringly at her. I bite my lip to keep from laughing, at his quick reaction. Effie gestures for us to sit. I take a seat by Haymitch and Katniss sits Across from Effie. Effie's face becomes serious once we sit. I can just make out her words before Katniss' horrible noises start. "The Capitol is coming for Katniss. And we can do nothing but allow them to take her. I'm very sorry." Katniss becomes silent, and stares wildly down at her hands.

I narrow my eyes at Effie. "All we can do? I don't think so! We can- and will do anything to stop them! I won't allow us to sit and do nothing!" my voice raises and Effie looks hurt by my words. I don't care though. In my head I refuse to let us sit and watch while Katniss is in the arms of President Snow. "I can't lose her." My voice cracks.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Three hours… three hours until Katniss is whisked away by the capitol. I spend about a half hour trying to think of a plan to rescue her. Maybe a sneak attack? But nothing comes to mind. I'm exhausted, worried, and mad. No words could explain how I feel. I'm frustrated but weak. I feel I am about to black out when someone knocks on my door lightly. I open it and Katniss bounds in my room coming at me with full force. I wrap my arms tightly around her. "I won't allow it." I whisper. She pulls away with disagreement on her face.

"I know you don't want to, but you have to. I can't risk you getting punished for rebuking… Haymitch wouldn't let them torture me… would he?" she asks hesitantly.

"I don't know. But I know I won't… because if I lose you, I have nothing." I say inhaling deeply. Her shoulders drop and her face turns from disagreement to agony. I can tell she's trying to stay strong, and that my words do not bring comfort to her. I pull her back into my arms.

"Why do I have to be so rebellious? If I hadn't pulled out that stupid nightlock-"

"One of us would be dead. And I know you wouldn't have allowed it to be me. And right now, I'd be trying to commit suicide." I cut her off. She opens her mouth to speak but the door opens and Haymitch comes in with crazy eyes.

"I have a plan!" he exclaims.

Here's how it goes. In the next hour Katniss, Haymitch, Effie, and I leave our floor and go stay at one of our last year sponsor's place. We take the back roads to get there. Before we leave we will make everyone swear on their lives to not let anyone know, and then we will head out. Haymitch and Effie first, then Katniss and I next, so we look like ordinary people. We will have walkie talkies and disguises. We'll meet up at an old clothing shop that is abandoned. We'll then make our way down, following Haymitch and Effie to the sponsor's house. We'll stay there until we have to meet with the victor, if there is one, at the train station. I nod in understanding and Katniss nods here and there completely focusing on the plan. Before everyone dispatches out of my room, Katniss halts everyone. "We need a code while we are separated. To let the others know we are alright." Her voice squeaks at the end of the sentence. She whistles a familiar tune. It takes her whistle and Haymitch and Effie picking up her tune for me to recognize it. It's Rue's mockingjay call. Once they've learned it, they walk out of the room. We have exactly an hour and a half before we move out. We choose the time to spend every second together. It's filled with hugging, talking, and kissing. We stay lip to lip until Katniss breaks away.

"How did you decide you liked me?" she asks smiling.

I hesitate for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. I sit legs crossed on the bed, and she sits across from me. "It didn't take anything but seeing you in school, watching you come home every day, and I admit, dreams. And it hit me…and never stopped slamming my heart." I say. She blushes and looks down. I laugh. "I know. I sound like the stupidest person in Panem."

"No…You sound like the sweetest person in Panem." She says looking at the door. I know right away what she's thinking and I say.

"It'll be okay. They can take children into the games, but how could they kill someone without a reasonable excuse?" I ask. She nods, but I know she doesn't believe me. I pull her into my lap and stroke her hair. "Katniss…I still have feelings for you. I won't even let them touch you. I'll protect you even if it's the last thing I do." I say. And for once, I really mean it.

"And if they kill you?" she asks.

The answer kills me to say, but I have to act strong for her. "You'll have Gale." I say my voice trailing off. She shakes her head.

"Gale could never replace you. He hasn't been through half of what we have been through together…and I couldn't live with you being dead…because of what you did for me…you kept me alive." She says. Her eyes widen. " No! No! I can't go with them! Prim, my mom, Gale, and you, all need me! I can't go with them, Peeta!" she exclaims. I pull her in my lap and put my chin on the top of her head. I sit there cradling her until an avox comes in and hands us both walkie talkies. But there's something strange about these. They have a camera, and a screen. It isn't long until I notice that these can also retrieve and send video. We wait for a little bit until we are sure that we won't get a 'move out' call soon, to start talking again.

"Katniss…listen…I will not allow them to take you! Effie was being stupid. Did you see the look on Haymitch's face? He agrees with me, that we shouldn't allow it. And chances are they'll go for Haymitch and Effie, thinking you are with them. Don't worry," I say. She isn't convinced that it's true, so I add. "What did you swear your life upon in the cave last games?"

"That I'd protect you." She said lifting her head up from my chest.

"Right. Now it's my turn. And I won't fail. I'd die to keep you safe." I meant that too. She takes my face in her hands and stares in my eyes. Quickly, she leans over and kisses me. I don't pull away until I'm gasping for air. "Try and sleep. We have about an hour and a half left. I'll wake you when they call." I say looking in her tired eyes. She nods and slips into the blankets. I hesitate than get in too. I stroke her hair and outline her face until she falls asleep. I plan to wait directly until the call comes, but I realize she's stirring. There's only one explanation for her pain. She's having nightmares. She's screaming now, but she won't wake up. I try shaking her. Nothing, but screaming, I run my hands through her hair, but that doesn't work either. I lean in and kiss her, cutting off her air supply. I don't pull away until I see her face calm down, then her eyes open. She sees me and sits up.

"What's wrong? I know about the nightmares…but why'd you kiss me?" she asks confused.

"I kissed you because I couldn't get you to wake up. And I knew if you stopped breathing for a second, you'd wake up. Sorry if I scared you." I say. I can't help but smile.

"Oh, you didn't, I knew it was you. You're the only one that can make anyone love you by kissing them. Make sense?" she asks.

"Perfect. Then I know it works on you." I say. She blushes and gets off the bed.

"When are they supposed to give the signal?" she asks from the bathroom. I go in there and see her braiding her hair.

I shrug in the mirror and say. "In about a half hour." She inhales deeply making it obvious she's scared. "You don't believe I'll save you?" I ask.

"Oh, I do. But I'm worried for you."

"Why? I have nothing to lose but you. My family won't care…sometimes I wonder if that's true. Would they care if I died tonight? Or would they carry on with their lives?" I ask looking down into the drain. I feel something wrap around my waist from behind. I turn into Katniss' bear hug.

"They would care as much as I would. In other words, they'd murder themselves." She whispers. I find comfort in her words. _They'd kill themselves. _My parents have to care. Without me, who'd do the cakes? And I know Katniss would care. I have a feeling that I'd see her in heaven the next day. A beeping noise startles me. I see Haymitch's disturbed expression, at the sight of us hugging in the bathroom. Katniss doesn't care and says. "What's the plan 'Mitch?" I look on the screen that now shows Effie outside my door. She instructs us to open the door at once. I go open the door and Katniss stays in the bathroom talking to Haymitch.

"Oh, Peeta!" she screams startled. I laugh and she barges in, her tiny high heels making clink noises on the bathroom. Haymitch pulls me to the side.

"No public display of affection, please!" he whispers. I laugh, understanding what he means. I acknowledge him and he keeps going. "What were you guys doing anyway? This stuff is for the cameras!" he whispers a little too loudly. Katniss comes out.

"Haymitch, give up the act idea!" Katniss yells. I laugh at him loudly. Effie says we have about 35 more minutes until we have to go.

She's about to leave, when she pulls Haymitch in the room with her. "We better supervise," she turns to us. "Do we need to go back to locking the doors from both sides, again?" she asks a little frustrated. Katniss laughs and shakes her head. I roll my eyes.

Haymitch clears his throat. "For the good of us, yes, yes you do."

Katniss whispers in my ear. "I think we should bring a fake baby next time we see him… just to freak him out."

I laugh. "We should. Give it a name and everything." I laugh. Haymitch looks at us suspiciously.

"Anyways, we came here to remind you guys of the plan. You guys go first, and then we'll follow you about 30 seconds behind. I'll get our video on the walkie talkie and direct you on where to go. Effie has a map that shows us the roads and shops. When you get in front of it I'll tell you guys. If anything happens, not saying anything will, give the call." Haymitch says. We nod in understanding. By the time him and Effie finish arguing about who gets the walkie talkie, it's time to go. We exit the building just as 12 peacekeepers coral us at the doors. Haymitch grabs something out of his pocket. It's a gun. He fires at the peacekeepers killing about 8 of them. One comes near Katniss and I knock him out with my fist. Another one tries too, and I jab him in the ribs with a knife Haymitch hands me. We fight and fight until all of the peacekeepers are on the ground, bleeding. We're about to start making our way to the sponsor's house, when Katniss yelps. I turn and she's got a gun to her head. The peacekeeper I knocked out stands there, with Katniss in a headlock with a gun to her head. I try to go towards it, but a pain shoots through my one good leg. And I don't mean a metaphorically shot of pain, I mean literal. The peacekeeper shot my leg, probably trying to scare me. But it's working, Katniss is screaming and I give a final scream before I black out.

"I love you!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

I'm wakening by the sound of a deep voice, talking to a high voice. I can't place the names so I call out weakly. "Katniss?"

The higher voice reassures me that she isn't Katniss. "I'm Effie, Peeta. Katniss...well, she's been taken." By this comment my eyes fly open. My breathing is rapid as I try to suck air into my lungs, but it doesn't seem to work. Haymitch, which was the other voice, calms me down by adding.

"She's been taken back to district twelve. She needed to have a chat with the head game maker, and President Snow. Don't listen to Effie; she doesn't know anything about it." I nod and drift back under into unconsciousness. I don't wake up for what seems like days. When I do, I'm in a familiar room. I can't put my mind on it until I hear the familiar beeping of the machines from the hovercraft. I see Haymitch outside the door staring at me. I see him, than his attention goes to a man that's talking to him. It's the doctor. Haymitch's expression darkens like a night in the arena. I can see him sympathetically looking at me. A ton of questions run through my head. Am I going to die? Or will I live? Is something close to me gone? Could they not save my only good leg? I look down. _Nope. My leg is still there…it's wrapped, but still there._ Then one last thought runs through my head before I fall unconscious. Where is Katniss? In my hours of wakening and going back under, I dream and think only of Katniss. It goes in a funny order that amazes me when I remember every detail of the day of the bread, the reaping, the training, the chariots, the interviews, the arena, the cave, this round of the Hunger Games, night after night of endless sleep, the kissing, the roof, the hugging, and my last scream to her. Each thought puts me under even more distress. I don't eat, drink, or even take the medicine. One day the doctor and Haymitch come into my room.

"Peeta, you need to eat. Do you want to die?" asks Haymitch.

"I don't care. Put me out of my misery and kill me now. Tell the peacekeeper to put one through my heart. Anything will feel better than I do right now." I retort.

"Just eat. Or else." threatens Haymitch.

"Or else' what?" I ask glumly.

"I'll shove it down your throat, that's what." He says getting mad. I refuse and he sits in a chair and puts his forehead on the end of my bed. "I know how you feel…about Katniss. The truth is…no one knows what she is going through right now with President Snow. No one knows what happened to the old game maker. No one knows if the games will ever stop…and you don't know what your future holds. Will you marry Katniss? Everyone thinks so, but no one knows. You can only think. And if you spend all of this time thinking horribly, or trying to kill yourself, and you do have a bright future, or Katniss comes back for you, than you'll never know because you're dead. So please eat and try not to think about anything too harsh," he gets up and starts to walk away. He reaches the door and turns to face me. "You never know what you got 'til it's gone." What he says is true. I don't realize how good Haymitch was to me until he left. So I sit there and dwell on his words, eat for once, and slip in and out of consciousness until morning arrives. When I wake up I see a younger man next to me. He has black hair and tan skin. His eyes are a green color. He's awake, and looking terrified. His clothes are torn up and he's bloody. At first I think he's in some sort of shock, so he can't talk, but then I hear a moaning noise then someone trying to talk to me.

"I'm Brian. I just came from-from- district 12…bloody, terrifying, girl victor, beating peacekeepers at a shooting competition…Shot me." says the man.

"Did this girl have brown hair?" I ask my voice shaky.

"Y-yeah you know her? She said s-s-something-g about a P-P-Peeta-a. S-s-something like 'leave him alone-e' and 'N-n-no! I-I-I love h-h-him!' and I ran away." Brian says stuttering. My eyes widen and my head begins to think the horrible thoughts again. I blackout and wake up at night to the sound of a beeping machine next to me. I sit up and switch the lights on. I rub my eyes to make sure what I'm seeing is real. I see a small, thin girl with brown hair and grey eyes. Only I can't see any of the girl's facial features because scratches and loose skin fill her cheeks. She stirs around and sits up. I know she is awake and I try to think of a way to introduce myself. But she talks first.

"Peeta? Peeta is that you?" her hoarse voice asks.

"Yes. Who are you?" I asked curiously. My heart skips a beat when the girl answers.

"You don't know me? It's me…Katniss" she croaks hoarsely.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her.

"It was too bad to be operated on in twelve. They moved me here." She sniffles.

"Well I'm glad we are together again. I never stopped thinking about you." I admit trying to stop smiling.

"What do you mean?" She asks confused about something.

"I mean, I love you…remember?" I ask my smile turning into a frown.

"You what? No you don't President Snow never said you did. Every time I said I didn't believe him…he beat me…oh, but you can't tell anyone…we can still be good friends right?" She explains. My breathing gets rapid. _What happened? One day she can't stay away from me, the next she doesn't think I love her. Does she love me?_

"No, no, don't believe him! You hate him! I do love you! I fed you the bread! You saved me in the arena! I comforted you in your nightmares! Katniss, please!" I scream. Haymitch runs in. I'm screaming what she told me to him and he pulls me out of my bed. I punch him in the face and he lets go of me, and I crash into my bed. I get up and leap on a terrified Katniss' bed. I take her head in my hands and tell her. "You've been brainwashed! Snow is evil! Haymitch, Effie, and I are the good people! I love you, trust me! Please! I love you! Never ever doubt it! I want you back Katniss! I want the real Katniss back! The one I fell in love with! Don't forget! Please!" I feel Haymitch's hands grab my shoulders and drag me out of the room. As I'm being dragged I yell, to the confused Katniss, confessing my love for her over and over, until the metal door shuts and I'm hauled into a square room. They pin me down on a metal table and handcuff me to the table. I'm surrounded by glass…pure, bullet proof glass. I'm still struggling when the nurse shoots me in the arm with something that makes me sleep. I'm knocked out and dreaming about all of the sweet memories I had with Katniss. I wake struggling with nothing to hold onto. I bite my tongue until it starts bleeding. _Got to get snow back! Revenge is necessary!_ I black out and don't wake until 2 days later. When I do, I'm back in my old room. But Katniss isn't in her bed. I sit up. There's a girl in a chair next to me. I rub my eyes and see that it's Katniss. "How are you feeling?" I ask her. She looks up at me and I see she's back to normal. She smiles and I can't help but smile back.

"I'm good. You?" she replies in her now-back-to-normal voice.

She looked fantastic…like nothing had even happened to her. The word comes out of my mouth without hesitation. "Beautiful," I shake my head as if wiping it away. "I mean… I'm good… But you do look back to normal... I guess it is the capitol stuff…sorry I'm sounding really confusing right now. I haven't eaten in like 3 days." I laugh. She laughs too, which surprises me. I want to ask her if she believed me that I loved her, and that Snow was bad, but she seems to read my mind and says.

"You know…you were right…Snow is the bad guy…And you do love me."

"Thank you!" I shout looking up. She laughs. There's something in her eyes that tells me she's been longing for togetherness. "How long have you been here?" I ask. She sighs.

"Only a day... they brought you back the night they took you away. I talked to Haymitch and he told me everything you told me. And so I told him to bail you out of that little room. I couldn't stand to see you locked up. So they brought you back in here and I woke up from surgery, so I sat here. All night, and all day." She explains with a hint of a smile.

"Wow, thanks. I was wondering why I got better sleep." I laugh. Someone smirks from the doorway. Haymitch comes in the room smiling. He sits on the other bed in the room. I can't tell if this is supervision, or if he's actually happy to see me too. I watch him in silence for a while.

He raises his eyebrows and smiles innocently. "What? I haven't talked to anyone in two days!" he says exasperated. _That's because you're always drunk! _I think. I laugh out loud and it makes Katniss and Haymitch look at me like I'm crazy. "We may need to suspend him from people again." Haymitch says raising his eyebrows.

"No, no! I'm good…really." I protest. Katniss intertwines our fingers and grips me tightly, assuring me she won't let me go. I smile at Haymitch's expression. Confused, disturbed, but happy. It's like I read his mind. _What's going on?_ So I answer. "We made a deal. We do anything to protect each other. We never leave each other's side." Katniss nods her head at Haymitch and he nods also, understanding. We stay and talk for a while. Katniss explains what happened with Snow, I talk about the agonizing days without her, and Haymitch about all the junk the doctors and Effie yelled at him. He starts getting tired so he gets up and walks out of the room yawning. "Guess we should get some sleep too." I suggest. Katniss nods and gets in the empty bed next to me. She sleeps nightmare less and we wake up rested. A little too rested, considering we couldn't do anything but walk around the hospital floor, and sleep, and talk, and take our medicine. We play around with our popcorn, trying to toss it into each other's mouths. Katniss is pretty good at it. I struggle to get it in. After our popcorn runs out I look at the clock. It's only two in the afternoon. I decide to go walk around the hospital. Katniss gets up and comes with me. We walk all around our floor, turn every corner, and visit everyone we know in there. There isn't many though. We say hello to Katniss' mom and Prim, because they insisted on helping out around the hospital for a few days before returning back to 12 this afternoon. Prim winks at me. I smile and poke her ribs. She gives a little squeal and giggles. Katniss is talking to her mom and Prim pulls me to the side.

"So how's it going with Katniss? Is she okay?" she asks in a steady voice. Her expression shows seriousness.

"She's good, really good." I say looking at Katniss across the room, smiling. She turns and looks at me smiling also.

"And you?" asks Prim trying to get my attention.

"Okay I guess," I hesitate before continuing. "Did she ever talk about me when we returned from the games?" I ask.

A faint smile crosses Prim's face. She twirls one of her braids and tries to stall. I grip her shoulders and pull her hand away from her braid. "Only always…well she doesn't say anything about you aloud," she hesitates. "You swear you won't tell anyone?" she asks seriously.

"Swear." I say.

She continues. "I saw her journal that our dad gave her. She started it when she was twelve. I opened the cover and found everything about you. She knows a lot. But my favorite was when she retold the bread story. She tells me that every time she needs to calm me down. That was really amazing." She says with a grin. I can feel my ears and cheeks go hot and I imagine how red they are. She giggles and walks back over to her mother. I look at Katniss as she talks, studying her face. I remember the day like it was yesterday. After all that was the day of my first encounter with her. After a goodbye, Katniss' mother and Prim leave to go to the roof, bored the hovercraft, and go back to district 12. We walk back to our room in silence and I check the clock. It's only 3. The nurses come in about a half hour later with needles. Katniss winces. I bravely sit through my shot, and I walk over and hold Katniss' hand, stroking it, until the needles leave the room. Even then I don't stop. I keep stroking it and grasping it in mine. I think about what Prim told me. I paint in my mind the picture of the day I threw the bread. I have to know what makes Katniss' heart melt when she thinks about that.

"Katniss," I whisper. She looks at me smiling. "What about the bread story makes me important? I'm still the same guy, so don't say it was me. Because I know you didn't like me in the games." I ask looking into her grey eyes. They close and then open again, and I can tell it's a hard answer.

"All of it makes you important to me. The fact that you saved my life, you saved Prim, you risked a beating from your mother," she says. She sighs, but it sounds like a small laugh. "I remember wincing at the sight of your cheek. I felt bad that afternoon. I wanted to talk to you…but…" She trails off.

"But what?" I ask.

"I couldn't think of anything to say. It was too painful… And I have a question for you," She says brushing my hair out of my eyes. Her eyes lock on mine for a moment, and I urge to know what she's thinking. She tucks the hair behind my ear, and drops her hand on the bed.

"What?" I ask.

"How come you never came and talked to me? You knew you liked me." She asks.

I shake my head and shrug. "I was shy. I was stupid. I was just a baker's son. I thought 'why would she ever love you? She has Gale. Surely she'd like a hunter more than a stupid baker.'" I say my face turning into a frown. I look down at our intertwined hands and she traces my eyes, nose, and mouth forcing me to look at her again. She looks irritated, and shakes her head. I know she's thinking that I'm more than just a baker. Her face turns soft and I imagine what she's thinking, 'you're mine'. I can just make out a smile but she leans in and tries to kiss me. She pulls away fast and laughs when she makes contact with my teeth instead of my lips. I smile than lean in, this time she gets my lips. Hers are warm, and I can tell she's feeling so much better, than the night she came back from surgery. Finally we are together.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

I realize that I can't breathe, so I pull away. She moves over and I move from the plastic chair to the bed and sit next to her. She leans her head on my shoulder and put my chin on her head. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and stay there comforting her. She looks up at me tiredly and I sink into the bed, lying down. She uses my arm as a pillow, and lies there, looking at the ceiling. I'm about to doze off when there's a soft knock at the door. I look to see the two nurses. They come in with medicine and more needles. She explains that the pills are numbing pills, so that she can take our blood for tests. I nod and Katniss shivers in my arms. I squeeze her tightly. "It'll be okay." I whisper kissing her cheek. She nods and holds her breath when they give me the pill. My arms go numb and I find myself using my un-numb hands to grab onto Katniss. I stick out my left arm and am shocked to see that the pill worked. I smile at Katniss. I decide to bring a little bit of humor in this so I say. "Whoa, I really can't feel my arms." This makes Katniss smile. She rests her head back on my chest; I use my unoccupied hand to brush back her hair. The needles are out of my arms, right when the numbing wears off. They round the bed and Katniss moves on my lap. I wrap my arms around her waist and rub her arm with my hand. She takes the pill and she squirms, uncomfortably to the both of us, finally settling down. She breathes deeply when the needles are injected to her thin arm. After a few seconds she puts her head on my shoulder. We stay tangled up in each other, until they come back an hour later with the results.

"Good news, Peeta, you are able to leave tonight… but Katniss we need you to stay overnight, so we can continue to give you your medicine. You had a little more critical condition involving your brain. But we will be able to clear that up by noon tomorrow. I'm sorry." says the main nurse, Meg.

"Yes ma'am." Katniss sighs. I tighten my grip on her. She looks at me. "You'll stay the night right?" she asks her voice cracking.

I nod. "Always." This makes her smile. She lifts her face and puts her nose against mine. She closes her eyes.

"I knew you would…you're sweet like that." She whispers. Her lips press against mine. I grasp her face in my hands and rub her cheeks with my thumb. She pulls away, wraps her arms around my neck, and dozes off to sleep. I lean back against the upright pillow and fall asleep.

Stirring wakes me up. Katniss sits upright in my lap looking out the door window. I follow her gaze to see Haymitch, Effie, Meg, and Cinna, staring into our room. Haymitch opens the door, and pads in the room with nothing but socks on. They all sit neatly on the empty bed and stare at us awkwardly for a while. "Can we help you guys?" asks Katniss.

Haymitch clears his throat. "One question…Peeta, you're staying with her, aren't you?" I nod and he mumbles. "Knew it."

"Knew what?" I ask.

"I knew that you wouldn't let, fire girl here, slip away from you." sighs Haymitch. Katniss squints at him and he smirks. I squint too, and he goes back to his serious face. I smile with satisfaction.

Effie sighs. "I guess you'll have to re-schedule the interviews for tomorrow, Cinna." Cinna nods but he's smiling at Katniss. I squeeze her tighter, letting Cinna know she isn't his. I respected Cinna, but I can't help but wonder what goes on between them before the events. Effie's face lights up. "Congratulations mentors! You had a victor! Ryan won!" My heart sinks. I think about Chloe and the cake decorating classes. She had a true gift for icing things. I used to think about hiring her as my helper…but not anymore. Katniss claps unenthusiastically. Effie clears her throat. "Well, that's all we were wondering. Come on Haymitch, let's leave these two alone." Effie and Haymitch leave. Cinna sighs and follows. Meg cuts my wristband off and tells me I'm checked out, but I'm still able to share the room with Katniss. I get into my clothes, grateful to have the thin robe gone. I pull on my khaki pants, and my green t-shirt and put the robe in the closet. I return to Katniss' bed and crawl back in. She lays her head on my chest and puts her feet up on the bed railing. She looks into my eyes and I feel my face go red, blushing. Her eyes have a quality that can make me feel something strongly. I can't place my mind on what she makes me feel, so I just trace her face. My fingers brush across her lips and I outline her eyes. I stroke her nose and I see her arms have chills on them. I offer her a spot under my blanket and she takes it. I stroke her hair as she watches the clock. It's 10 and getting dark. She yawns and I let her doze off in my arms. I whisper to her while she sleeps.

"I love you." The words pass and I hear a giggle. She wasn't asleep. Her eyes look into mine. I laugh. "I thought you were asleep." I whisper.

"No, I wanted to hear what you had to say." She admits.

"Well than…are you satisfied?" I say smartly. She sits up next to me and stares at me seriously. This goes on for a while. Suddenly she starts laughing.

"Yes…I am." She says politely. I kiss her nose and she lies back down.

"Don't worry…I'm done whispering." I laugh. We sleep the rest of the night, and when we wake up its 11 in the morning. There's about an hour left before we are allowed to leave. I think of the reason why she had to stay an extra night. I rub her temples. "Feeling okay?" I ask her.

"Yeah, way better now…thanks for staying with me." She says. I nod and she gets up.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"Nothing…just going to change out of this." She points to her robe. I nod. She returns wearing a blue shirt with her mockingjay pin on. She's wearing khaki pants also. She returns and I braid her hair for her. Once I'm done she looks in the mirror. "Wow, you're really good at braids." She says.

I shrug. "I used to braid little strands of dough for braid bread. I made it for my father's birthday one year." She smiles in the mirror, her eyes glinting in the sunlight through our window. She sees my awe over her and blushes. She raises her eyebrows, holds out her arms, and spins around and around. I laugh and she laughs even more. She stops, getting dizzy and I help her to the chair. We wait for the remaining 15 minutes and Meg releases Katniss. Her eyes instantly gain back their life and the real Katniss appears. We get in a car and it takes us back to the training center. We're anxious to get to our rooms, but when the elevator doors opens, prep teams, and our stylists swarm us. Instead of going into our rooms to get ready, we go into separate curtain walled rooms side by side. Once we get changed we are corralled outside of the curtains to hair booths. I see Katniss to my right and I smile at her. Her prep team is about to start her hair.

"Wait! Don't touch it! I want Peeta to do it. He's an amazing braider." She protests. The prep team pulls me up and thrusts me towards Katniss. I kiss her head and start brushing her hair. I braid her hair and swirl it into a tight bun on her head. I turn to the prep team and they clap and cheer for me. I smile and return to my chair. My hair is mildly spiked in the front. Once we finish hair and Katniss finishes makeup, we take off our aprons revealing our clothes. Katniss is wearing a sunset orange dress with red rime stones in a flame pattern from her waist up. I'm wearing an orange suit with flamed cuffs and collar. She twirls for me and I take her hand. We head across town to the interview stadium and we take a seat back stage. Once Cesar is announced he welcomes us out and the interview begins.

"Good evening Peeta and Katniss!" Cesar says enthusiastically.

"Hello." I say. Katniss smiles at Cesar greeting him silently.

"Well, let's just get right down to business." Cesar says seriously.

"That sounds good to us." Katniss says.

"Okay…Peeta, what were your thoughts about mentoring the first hunger games?" Cesar asks curiously.

"Well, I was skeptical on it because I've never been good with people-" I start, but Katniss interrupts.

"Oh please! You're good with me." She says hugging me. Cesar's hand dramatically flies to his mouth.

"Before you continue, Peeta let me ask. What do you think of the rumors about you and Katniss getting married? Possibly having children?" Cesar asks digging for a juicy answer. I decide to give it to him.

"Well, anything can happen right, Katniss?" I ask and she nods kissing my cheek…the audience awes and hoots. "And if we did, I would like children, but I'm worried too…because being a victor of the games…I learned a few things…Like if we ever did have kids, I would do anything to keep them from going into the games. I can't make any more risks on the ones I love." The crowd roars and stomping rumbles the stage.

Cesar turns to Katniss. "Your thoughts about the rumors, Katniss?"

"I agree with Peeta, anything can happen. I know if I ever do have children, I would let him do anything to keep them away from the arena. But for the whole marriage thing, all I can say is I'm all for it!" she says. The crowd goes crazy. Cesar laughs and congratulates us.

"Now, Peeta, what are your thoughts on the out coming victor?" asks Cesar.

"Well, I'm glad that our district had a winner, and I'm glad he took everyone's advice…but I wasn't able to watch it… Neither of us got to." I admit.

"Why not?" asks Cesar.

"We were hospitalized…" I say.

"How come?" asks Cesar. I look at Katniss and she sighs.

"Well Cesar. That is because the rumors are true. We got married after we returned home last games…and…I…" her voice trails off. I look at her desperate face. I inhale deeply.

"Surprise!" I call out. Katniss smiles at me. The crowd gasps. Cesar's eyes grow wide. The crowd breaks into applause for Katniss and I and the faint buzzer goes off. Our interview is done.


	11. Chapter 11

**LONG ONE**

Chapter Eleven

"Thanks, Peeta. Once again you saved me." I look and find a camera angled at us. I gesture up to the camera. "I mean you saved us." she says. I wrap my arm around her waist and we walk backstage.

Haymitch darts toward us his eyes wild. "What the heck was that? Surprise?" he mimics me. He curses under his breath.

"Haymitch we had no choice! Peeta will explain later!" Katniss protests. Haymitch turns on his heels and walks to the car. We ride alone in a car together. No Haymitch or Effie. We wait in silence until the car pulls up to the training center. We get on the elevator. Katniss is looking down. I take her chin in my hand and tilt it towards my face.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Tonight was a disaster. What will Gale and Prim think?" Katniss sobs. I pull her in. I push the twelve button and the elevator thrusts upwards.

"I know Gale doesn't want to risk harming you or your family. He will act like he's happy for us. And, Prim, she told me a secret." I whisper smiling. She looks up at me. Tears run down her face.

"What?" she asks shakily.

"She told me that she knows about us. She knows that I want to be with you. She's probably knows that it's fake stuff for the games." I say. Katniss sniffles.

"But what happens if she doesn't?" she asks.

"Then she most likely thought it would happen sooner or later." I argue.

"But," she starts.

"No, Katniss. They won't risk harming you!" I interrupt her.

"But," she starts again. This time it's my lips that stop hers. I hold her in my arms and kiss her until the elevator stops and the doors open. She pulls away and turns right into Haymitch. He's practically snarling at us.

"Come with me. Now!" he orders. We follow him into the dining room. We sit down and he immediately starts asking. "Explain 'Mr. and Mrs. Surprise'!" Haymitch orders angrily.

"Peeta saved everyone. If we told him our stories about the capitol hospitalizing us, we could kiss our lives goodbye! It's a lie." Katniss protests argumentative.

"How do I believe you? You lied about loving Peeta." Haymitch says.

"That's a lie!" yells Katniss. I squint at Haymitch.

"Don't listen to him Katniss. He's just drunk." I snap.

"Shut it lover boy!" yells Haymitch.

"No! Everyone stop!" yells Effie from the door. She has the Avox escort Haymitch to his room and she sits down with us. "Please try not to get mad at Haymitch. He's confused. He doesn't like how you disobeyed his plan. But I understand you guys. Good save, Peeta." Effie congratulates us and leaves the room. Katniss and I sit in the dining room for a while in silence.

"Peeta, what he said…about me acting like I love you…" Katniss' voice trails off.

"Katniss…Please…I don't mind. I know it was true." I say my voice cracking.

"Peeta, it's real. I love you." Katniss says. I look in her eyes and see she's serious. I shake my head but she stops it with her warm hands. She leans in and puts her forehead against mine. "I love you." She whispers. I smile and kiss her nose. Out of the corner of my eye I see the time. It's only 7. We decide to wait until the food comes out for dinner and take it to my room. We eat until we are full, playing the toss-into-mouth game when we grab the small purple grapes. We wait until we see all of the lights go out in the hallway, to go to the roof. It's cold and windy so we bring a blanket and two pillows. We sit leaning against a post in the railing, curled up in a blanket, and looking out over the capitol. We do nothing but huddle up and lay our heads on each other's shoulders. When the streets empty of camera people Katniss starts whispering.

"How did this happen?" she asks.

"How did what happen?" I ask her looking at her soft face. She's leaning against my chest her face tilted up towards me.

"Us…I mean we never even talked before the Games. When we found out that we really did need each other." She says.

"I always loved you. I just told all of Panem." I laugh. She smiles. I kiss her lightly and she turns her head towards the city. I put my chin on her head.

"Why'd you wait? To tell me that you loved me?" she whispers. The wind catches her hair blowing it in my face. I run my hands through her hair and I grab her hair tie. I put it in a tight braid running down her back. I run my fingers down the silky braid and re-embrace her in my lap.

"I told you. I was too shy. I figured it was a long shot." I say putting my cheek against hers.

She speaks with a soft tone that can barely be herd in the wind. It gives me chills. "It was a long shot. But here we are…You're right…anything could have happened and it did." She moves closer to me and we huddle underneath the thick blanket our knees to our chests. I see her smile fade.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" I ask feeling a little guilty.

"No… it's just that this feels all wrong…It was the Games that made us realize we needed each other…It was an act in front of the cameras, and now no one believes it's real, and it was the games that gilts me of killing the other tributes…it gilts me of killing Rue." She says. I don't realize her tears until I feel one drip down my arm. I wipe it off and hold her even closer than when I did when she woke up screaming of nightmares.

"I'm cold…let's go in and talk about it. I can't think of anything to say anyway. Everything you said is true." I tell her my eyes burning of tears. What if it wasn't real? What if this is all just for the cameras? Did I do the wrong thing announcing our 'marriage' at the interview? These questions flood my mind as we walk into her room. I take a shower and change into the clothes I left here before the interview. I meet her at her bed and she lies down head propped up by a pillow. I lie next to her and get my book out of my pocket. I start writing a poem and Katniss reads over my shoulder. I finish and look up at her. I swear my face is 2 centimeters away from hers our lips only 1. I smile and she looks at my nose like it's a meal. She kisses it lightly and turns her gaze down to the poem. She looks back up at me then starts reading.

_The Rainy Day_

_The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;_

_It rains and the wind is never weary;_

_The vine still clings to the moldering wall,_

_But at every gust the dead leaves fall,_

_And the day is dark and dreary._

_My life is cold and dark and dreary;_

_It rains, and the wind is never weary;_

_My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,_

_But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,_

_And the days are dark and dreary._

She chokes the last stanza out holding back her tears, but she continues.

_Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;_

_Behind the clouds the sun is still shining;_

_Thy fate is the common fate of all,_

_Into each life some rain must fall,_

_Some days must be dark and dreary._

She looks past me, out of her window into the city. The moon reflects in her eyes giving me chills. She sees me and puts her hands on my cheeks and forehead. She examines my face and I concentrate on her eyes. "You don't look good. Here get under these." She says. I don't look away from her eyes as she pulls the blankets over me and tucks them under my chin. She looks in my eyes and I study her expression. Sympathetic, loving, kind, and desperate, all run across her face. I smile and thank her. She kisses my forehead but I tilt my head up and let her lips meet mine. I grab her cheeks in my hands and she rests her hands on my chest. No one pulls away. And I don't think we would if it weren't for the knock. She leaps off of the bed and opens the door. Haymitch walks in calmly and his face is sympathetic.

"Congratulations." He says making a tiny gesture to the cameras in the door. We were being filmed right here, right now, at 11 at night.

"Thank you so much, Haymitch." Katniss says gratefully. I smile and get up. Katniss comes over to me and I put my arm around her waist. She kisses my cheek. Cesar pushes through the camera men and pulls up a chair next to the bed. We walk over and sit on the soft mattress, our hands intertwined.

"How's the happy couple doing? Everything good?" asks Cesar.

"Yes, everything is good." I say smiling at Katniss.

"So your fever's gone?" asks Katniss, looking at me hopefully.

"No, but everything's good because you're here." I say smiling. She knows this is real. And so does Haymitch because his eyebrows raise and a grin spreads across his face. Katniss smiles and looks back at Cesar.

"How about you share what you guys like to do for your free time in this magnificent floor?" Cesar asks kindly. I figure he wants the real juicy stuff.

"We talk, sleep, eat, and just enjoy each other's company. And then it's back to meetings and mentoring." I say nodding at Haymitch. He raises his eyebrows and lowers them quickly.

"Good. Sounds like you guys are happy together. How about you Katniss? What do you enjoy about Peeta?" asks Cesar smiling.

She shrugs. "All of it. It's great. He's amazing, loving, and currently sick. Come on let me get you to bed. You look a little worse." Katniss says brushing my hair back. I pull her in my arms and put my chin on her head, like I always do. She turns and puts her head on my shoulder. Cesar smiles at us.

"One more question…Katniss, how do you think your family feels about all of the news?" asks Cesar. Katniss' back muscles tense up and I rub her shoulders calming her down. She inhales deeply, but when she opens her mouth instead of words tears and sobs come out. Cesar looks at her sympathetically. I set her to the right of me and put my arm around her shoulders.

"She didn't know how to tell them. So she didn't…she's been feeling bad about it lately and was wondering herself what they'd think. I told her, just today actually, that I'm sure her mother would be proud. And so would her close cousin, Gale. She was especially sad about him, because she thought he would be mad at her. But he loves her so I think he'd understand. She has nothing to worry about. If anyone should be worried, it should be me." I explain. What I'm saying is true. She was worried…and Gale does love her.

"And why should you be worried, Peeta?" asks Cesar.

I shrug. "Who wouldn't be at a time like this?" I ask him. He nods understandingly.

"I felt that way about my first child being born." Admits Cesar. He thanks us and cuts the cameras. Everyone leaves, but Haymitch. He comes and sits next to a teary Katniss. I kiss her head and Haymitch sighs.

"I think I screwed up." He says blankly.

"On what?" I ask.

"Telling Katniss to fake-love you, now it's a big lie." Says Haymitch staring at Katniss' sad face.

I shake my head. "That wasn't a lie. She is worried…but she's worried about the future, and what Gale and Prim will think. Everything is the truth, besides our marriage. I love her, true, she's worried, true, and I'll do anything to keep her alive, true." I say. Katniss lift her head off of my shoulder.

"You left out one big detail. I love him, true. It isn't just for the cameras. Oh, and I need to get him to bed, true. But I also need him tonight. So he'll stay with me. Okay?" she asks directing it to Haymitch. He nods and gets up.

"Good night 'Mr. and Mrs. Mellark'." He says smiling. I give a small laugh and the door closes. Katniss sighs.

"Well, 'Mrs. Mellark', it's time for you to get some sleep also. I want to get a head start before the nightmares come tonight." I laugh. She smiles kisses me and goes into the bathroom to change. I sit on the bed and take in all that has happened in my life. My name is Peeta Mellark. I am from district 12. I've loved Katniss since I was 5. I got sent into the games. I came out alive, along with Katniss. We became mentors. We love each other for real. And we always will. She comes back out her hair wet from the shower. I brush it for her and crawl into bed. She isn't too far behind either. She lies down and I wrap my arm around her shoulders and my other one strokes her back. She flutters her eyes and dozes off. I kiss her very lightly and doze off with her in my arms. I wake up to stirring and Katniss' calls for me. She sits up and I sit up next to her. She puts her head in her hands and I rub her back comforting her. She whips around and puts her head in my chest. My shirt gets wet from her tears and I hold her shoulders towards me. She looks at me tears stream down her face. I wipe them away and brush her hair from her eyes. She takes a shaky breath.

"Are you okay? I hate seeing you like this." I say taking her face in my hands. She shakes her head.

"No. It was horrible. Cato…" her voice trails off. I rub her tears away with my thumb. Each rub, the tears seem to multiply. She takes another breath. "You… were suffocated and died in my arms. I called out for you, but you were gone. And then Cato and I came to mentor the tributes…and Prim was one…but at the interview… he said that killing you was the smartest choice that he had ever made. And then he kissed me…but when we got back from the interview he turned into a mutt and started taunting me about killing you… And I called out for you and you answered, but Cato was holding you by the throat again." Katniss sobs. I pull her in close and hold her there. I don't let go until she stops crying. I rock back and forth with her in my arms and she shivers. She's got cold sweat running across her forehead. I wipe it away and see her eyes are wide. They're darting around the room at all of the shadows. I go over to the light switch and turn it on. She shuts her eyes tightly and opens them again. She sees me and runs to me. She leaps into my arms almost knocking me over. I embrace her.

"It'll be okay…I'm here, I'm okay…hey," I put her down and smile at her. She looks into my eyes. "Hey, it'll be okay. I promise…I love you." I remind her. Her face lightens up for a second, but then she touches my face as if to make sure I'm really there, alive. I smile again and she smiles weakly. I scoop her up in my arms and hold her, like a baby, cradled in my arms. I rock her small, vulnerable body and her eyes flutter shut. She falls asleep in my arms. I set her on the bed, but she wakes up knowing I've let go of her. I sit by her and stroke her hair hoping she'll know I'm okay and that I won't let anything happen to her. She stares at me and doesn't even blink. Her face shows fear again. I lean against the headboard of the queen sized bed. She crawls in my lap, wraps her arms around my neck and leans her head on my chest. She dozes off to the sound of my whispering. "It's okay. I'm right here. Get some rest." I don't go back to sleep, instead I stroke her hair and comfort her. She stirs in my lap and I re-cradle her in my arms. Only once more does she wake up. And when she does it's my love for her that calms her down. Eventually she sleeps soundly and I remain her comfort. I'm not too tired in the morning, and she wakes early. At first her eyes dart around the room, as if Cato would pop out at her, than she sees me and that I'm okay and her face returns to normal.

"We're going home today." Katniss says looking sad.

"Why is that bad for you? You get to see Prim." I ask.

"Because…who'll comfort me when I have nightmares?" she asks. I want to say 'Gale would in a heartbeat', but I didn't want to put Gale in her mind.

"Just give me a call…I'll be there in a flash." I smile at her.

"I will." She says. She wraps her arms around my neck and I wrap my arms around her waist, embracing her. It was a plus that we would get to move into the Victor's Village when we got back. Only four families will live there, me, Haymitch, Ryan, and Katniss. We each will have a phone to use. I let go of her and grin.

"I found out who my neighbor is." I say.

"Who's it going to be?" Katniss smiles back.

"You, and Haymitch, I got the middle house." I laugh. She shakes her head and laughs. I know she's thinking about me being neighbors with Haymitch. I take her hand and we go into the dining room to get our schedule. Haymitch explains it, thoroughly. First is an interview about the victor, than there's a photo shoot with Ryan for the games, and afterwards a two day train ride back to district 12. I yawn at the sound of the schedule. Katniss sighs, and grips my hand tightly. We have thirty minutes until we have to meet with our prep team, and stylists. I decide to use the time to visit the training center again. I wanted to see the dreaded place, hopefully for the last time, before I leave. Katniss objects at first, but when the elevator doors are about to close, a small hand stops them. Katniss strides in, and leans against the wall. We ride down in silence and when we get in the training room, I take in the big empty space. I head over to the camouflage area, and paint on a mat. I plan to paint a picture of Katniss sitting outside, the sun going down. I finish the sun set and Katniss appears at my shoulder.

"That's beautiful." She says looking at the orange paint on my face.

"Oh, it isn't done yet." I protest. I paint in great detail, a picture of Katniss, her hair flowing as if the wind were catching her hair, her grey eyes reflecting the water. I put the brush down and turn to look at her. Her face is blushing and her mile is shy, like at her first interview. "It's done now." I say.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is how you always see me?" she giggles.

"Because that's how I _do _see you." I reply. She looks down and blushes. I leave the mat to dry, hoping that the game makers will see my work, and join Katniss at the archery. She swiftly picks up a bow and a sheath of arrows. She stands firm and draws back the bow. She inhales deeply and releases the bow, sending the arrow flying right through the center of the dummy's heart. I clap and she does a little bow. We go over to the throwing station and I throw an 80 pound weight the length of a football field.

"Well done." Says a voice from the door. I turn to see the head game maker Seneca Crane.

"I'm so sorry. I thought this was open to the mentors too." Katniss says looking down. He walks over to us.

"No, it's quite alright. I can see how you guys won. But I have a question for you, while we are on this topic," Seneca says. We nod and he continues. "If I hadn't let both of you guys live," he pauses. "Who would have won?" he asks questioning us.

"I wouldn't have let Katniss die, so eventually I would have killed myself." I say looking straight into Seneca's blue eyes. He nods firmly.

"Ah, yes, but that would be a broken law. We would have called it off and took you into custody for attempt. How about you _Miss Everdeen_?" by the way he said her name I could tell he didn't believe her. I hold up a finger.

"It's Mrs. Mellark to you sir." I say firmly, annoyed with his attitude.

"Don't worry, your little lie secret's safe with me." Seneca says. I squint at him and he nods his head firmly. I step back and let Katniss speak.

"I wouldn't let Peeta die, so I would have killed myself. But the berries were a better solution." She says with a load of confidence. Seneca's lips curl at the corners in a little smile.

"Obviously." He says, and with that walks out of the room. We don't stay too much longer, because we have to get ready. I'm prepped, my hair spiked slightly in the front, and I'm dressed in a simple black suit, with a red tie. I inhale and sigh heavily. I'm looking in the mirror when Katniss appears behind me.

"You look amazing." She says softly.

"You look better." I say pulling her in front of the mirror. She's wearing a red dress with a black ribbon tied in a bow around her waist. Her hair is curled and her bangs and sides of her hair are pinned to the back in a half up style. She's wearing black ballet flats. Her makeup is barely noticeable. She coordinates with me well. She blushes and I twirl her in front of the mirror. She spins around and around, her hair flowing in a wave of brown curls. She stops.

"Now it's your turn." She says. She slowly turns me around and examines me. When she gets to my face, her eyes lock on mine. She sighs. "I'm going to miss you…I mean I know you'll be my neighbor, but it's not going to be like this place," she gestures to the room and the city out our window. "and we won't have anything to look forward to together…like mentoring." She says sadly.

"But we can make time for it. You can stop by the bakery anytime you want. We can walk around town. Well," I hesitate. Katniss looks at me confused.

"Well, what?" she asks.

"That is when you aren't with…" my voice trails off and Katniss smiles.

"You still think he's better than you?" she whispers.

"You've known him longer." I protest.

"But I've been through more with you." She comes back at me. I just look at her and she raises her eyebrows at me. I want to say something about that but I don't know what.

"Let's go. I want to see one more place before we go." I say grabbing her hand.

I take her up to the roof. I open the door and there stands a serious Effie and a happy Haymitch.

"Ah, yes, we thought you'd come up here sometime today." says Haymitch. Effie elbows his ribs and he winces.

"We waited to tell you…You guys have been invited to a party dedicated to your marriage." Effie explains. Katniss nods, but then she looks at me, one eyebrow raised. I look at her confused and she turns back to Effie.

"So what you're saying it that Peeta and I are…actually getting married, and this time in front of the capitol?" Katniss questions suspiciously.

"Well if you put it like that…Yes." Effie says grinning hugely.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"Wait! What?" I exclaim. "That can't be possible! There's no wedding dress, or suit, or anything for a wedding." I protest. Katniss nods rapidly.

"Relax…this isn't a wedding… It's like a dance or a ball for you guys. The capitol people wanted to throw you guys a party. It's after the interview. We won't head out until tomorrow. Don't worry." Effie explains.

"So we'll just dance and socialize for a while? No traditional wedding stuff?" I reassure myself.

"Yes, but don't be surprised if you have to kiss on command." Haymitch says, snickering. We nod and we just stand there for a while.

"We should go…you guys probably want alone time. Come on Haymitch," says Effie. She's about to close the glass door when she says. "You guys have 25 minutes. I'll come get you." She says. We nod and go to the railing. Katniss puts her head on my shoulder and I put my arm around her. She goes over and leans on the railing. I slide to the ground against one of the columns. I put my head in my hands and sigh loudly. I look up and Katniss stands looking down at me.

"What's wrong?" she asks sympathetically.

"I wish this never had to happen. If I had time to come up with another excuse," I start.

"No, it wasn't your fault. It was mine…Haymitch told me to act in the first games, and I was too stupid and self-centered to realize how you felt about all of it. I should have walked up on the stage, and told everyone it was true." Katniss says angrily at herself. I stand up and take her arms.

"By that logic… it was all Haymitch. He was the one with the stupid idea anyway…if you hadn't gone with it, I would be dead. It was us that got sponsors for the medicine that saved my leg until I got to the hospital. You saved me." I tell her. She looks at me and shakes her head slightly. I stop it with my hands. She opens her mouth to speak and I put her forehead against mine. "It wasn't your fault." I tell her. She nods her head as if to plead that it was, but I don't allow it. I grab her hands, intertwine them in mine, and kiss her. Out of the corner of my eye I see Effie standing in the door.

"Peeta, Katniss, it's time to go." Effie says shyly, knowing she was interrupting us. Katniss pulls away and we walk towards Effie. She escorts us to the interview place and we gather backstage. I sit on a loveseat with Katniss and wait until our cue to go up. When Cesar is introduced and he introduces us we walk on stage and sit in another loveseat. He jokes around warming up the crowd like usual. He starts off with the easy questions.

"What did you think of the part of the games you saw?" Cesar asks.

"I thought it would be very close competition, and it turned out it was." Katniss replies.

"Peeta, did you have any connections with this round of games with your round?" asks Cesar.

"Well, no actually. The competition is fresh and new each year. This year was pure survival…and last year," I hesitate looking at Katniss. I don't take my eyes away from hers when I finish answering. "Was protecting the ones I loved…it went both ways. We only survived because of the amazing sponsors and our love for each other." I say. Katniss nods and blinks at me tiredly.

"Katniss, I see the way you look at Peeta…What does he mean to you?" asks Cesar.

This time she keeps her eyes locked on mine and intertwines our fingers. "He means everything to me. Seriously…He's the reason I'm alive. But it isn't because of the games…he convinced me to stay alive. He told me to do it for him. And now I can't stop." Katniss replies with a smile. The crowd starts chanting something, and it doesn't take long for me to understand that they are saying 'kiss' over and over again. Katniss smiles at me and I keep my eyes locked on hers as I give what the audience wants. We don't pull away until the buzzer goes off and we must leave. Up next on our long list of things to do, is the 'wedding' party.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

"Hey Peeta, Katniss!" a voice calls out from behind us. I turn to see a small girl with blond hair and brown eyes. She must be Cesar's daughter. I smile at her and she continues. "I'm Cesar's daughter. I just wanted to say congratulations." She says smiling. Katniss bends down and gives her a hug. Cesar's daughter waves at me and I pat her head lightly. Katniss smiles as she walks away. Effie comes and tells us it's time for the ceremony. I look at her confused. This wasn't part of the plan. But we go along with it anyway and start to go up on stage. Cinna stops us right before we step up. He instructs us to put on 'these', and hands us rings. We shrug and slip them on our left hand ring finger. We step up stage and sure enough, Snow examines our official looking rings. They congratulate us and everyone cheers. Snow asks us questions.

"What will be the first thing you'll do when you finish up here?" Snow asks us.

"Go home." We say simultaneously. Everyone laughs happily at us.

"Ah, we must not forget to rent out a new home in the Victors' Village." Snow says.

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

"Well, now that you guys are officially married, you will be given your own home. And you'll move out of your families' houses. You'll live together now." Snow explains. Beside me Katniss gives a little squeak, but fortunately no one else hears. Everyone congratulates us and we are instructed to go to the dance floor to, well, dance. I try to object that I'm a bad dancer, but they don't care. That only makes them put on a slow song and we dance, embracing each other.

She rests her forehead on mine and whispers. "You know, we told everyone this stuff wasn't just for the cameras anymore." I nod understandingly. I can't help but notice her eyes are sparkling with happiness. We dance like this until the song is over, than walk over to find the cake. I eat a piece and instantly my mouth waters like a river. It's a rich chocolate with a creamy white icing. Katniss closes her eyes dramatically. I stare at her and she laughs. Her red dress glitters in the silver lights hanging over our heads. The roof is transparent and the moon reflects in her hair making it look shiny. I'm thinking of something to say, when she says. "I wonder what our house will look like." I look at her and shrug. I had completely forgotten about the house. I was now forced to move in with a woman that isn't even my girlfriend. I sigh and she looks away. I think we both agree this is the longest party we've ever been to. At around midnight we were escorted back to our floor in the trading center. Immediately we collapse onto the bed and fall asleep. We wake up to the sound of a terrible storm out our window. Katniss falls back asleep, but I think for a while. I think of how the storm reminds me of the restless one that poured out of our cave in the last games. I then think about the song. One of the lines was

_Don't you dare look out your window,_

_Darlin' everything's on fire,_

_The war outside our door keeps ragin' on,_

When I wrote it I didn't think of how well this connected to that storm. I just remember that all I could think about was surviving, and protecting Katniss. I think about our first experience with the games and I get chills. I curl up under the blanket with Katniss sleeping soundly next to me. I fall asleep to the clap of thunder and the patter of rain on the roof. I don't wake until late morning. When I do, Katniss is tracing her finger around my facial features. Her finger is warm and comforting. We get up in silence and go down into the dining hall. We eat, also in silence, while Haymitch and Effie argue over the schedule for the train after the photo shoot. Yet again, today would be another big, big, big, day. After we finish eating we are herded to our rooms and the prep team does everything to get us ready. I'm put into simple clothes and they inform me that I will change when I get there. I nod in agreement, and they whisk me away to the elevator. I'm alone, besides my prep team and Portia my stylist. "How did you sleep last night?" she asked in a calm voice.

"Good enough for today's plans." I say rubbing my hand through my hair. I feel a shot of pain go through my arm, and see that one of my prep team members had slapped me. "What was that for?" I mumble.

"Don't mess up your hair!" she snaps and runs her boney fingers through my heir fixing it. I roll my eyes and she slaps my cheek this time. I do the first thing I think of and shove her hardly, into the wall. She falls and gets back up snarling. I put my hands up in defense.

"I'm just trying to protect myself! What was_ that_ for?" I snap back at her.

"Don't sass me, boy. Haven't you heard of respect, and manners?" she says.

"Haven't you heard of un-cruel punishments?" I snap back. Portia stands in front of me as the doors open. The prep team storms out and thrusts the door to the photographer's studio open. I walk in to see two dressing rooms and a backdrop for the picture. They push an outfit into my arms and I go into the dressing room. I'm about to pull my shirt over my head when I hear a familiar scream. Katniss was screaming from across the hall. I dash out of the room and try to go in hers, but it's locked. Despite the thought of her being naked, I don't hesitate to kick the door down. It crashes with a loud bang, and I run in. Katniss is in her outfit, but she's standing in front of the mirror. I run to her and see that her eyes are tightly shut. "Katniss what happened?" I yell.

"Peeta! Peeta is that you?" screams Katniss.

"Yes. What happened?" I ask her again.

"There's something in my makeup! I don't know what, but it burns!" she yelps. I grab the makeup bottle that's knocked over, and I read the labels. Right away the access makeup on the bottle burns my hand and my chest. I wipe it all off and read the label aloud.

"Shea butter, coloring, bleach…" I'm cut off with Katniss' screeching.

"They put a fake label on! I read the other one and it didn't say it had bleach! They added it to the makeup to burn me!" she yells. I turn the cool water on and wash her eyes out. She makes a terrible whimpering sound as it runs down her face. I keep rinsing it until there isn't any on her face or eyes. All this time I'm only thinking of one thought. _The capitol really asked for it this time._ I see her eyes open and she starts to cry. "Thank you. I could have been blinded." She sobs. Her tears run down my chest and back and I wipe them off. Her hands are freezing against my shoulder blade, but I embrace her anyway. Portia and Cinna are standing where the door used to block us from the hall. Portia shakes her head and Cinna folds his arms. I put my lips to Katniss' ear and whisper.

"We are in deep, deep trouble." She looks up at Cinna and Portia and back at me. She nods slightly. We're herded out to the back drop for our first picture, but I remember my shirt is in my dressing room and slip away when no one's looking. I have a brown shirt with khaki pants and brown boots. I return, slip it on, and prepare to do what they tell me to do. The photographer starts off gently.

"Hello, I'm Jenna. So for the first shot I was thinking a stronger, and sort of a survival look. So stand back to back for me, and fold your arms." Jenna explains. We do what she tells us and after a series of 'arms down' and 'chin up a little' she snaps the photo. We get a new outfit, a white t-shirt and blue jeans, and put it on in our dressing rooms. We return and see a white background. "Okay, for this shot we'll need a little more cooperation from you guys. I need you, Katniss to lie down on the ground, back facing down, and Peeta, I need you to lie with her, resting your head on her stomach. Katniss act like you're stroking his hair." She says with slight giddiness in her voice.

"What is this shot for?" asks Katniss.

"It's for a clothing line that I'm working on. It sows simple fabrics that are comfortable, but stylish." Jenna explains. I nod my head agreeing that her cloths are comfortable and stylish. We take a few pictures and they give us another outfit. This one is a white suit jacket and slacks, with a turquoise tie. I change and return to see Katniss in a turquoise dress with a white ribbon in her hair. "Alright, now Peeta, all you have to do is put your arm around Katniss' shoulder and Katniss you give Peeta a hug. This is for a capitol magazine about you guys' life. One of your interviews with Cesar will be in there." She says smiling. We take five of the same picture, and go change back into our original clothes. When we return Ryan is taking his turn in front of the camera. He's wearing a lime green suit with a black tie, his hair brushing across his forehead. We are whisked out of the room and back to our hotel.

I'm packing my shirts when Katniss says. "I'm going to miss this place…I know I shouldn't, but I will. I like the condition we were kept in…never starving, always clean…" her voice trails off.

"But now we'll have our own house, that's better than the ones we are living in now." I reassure her. She smiles and nods, than remains packing. Once we are finished we head down to the car that'll take us to the train station. Only one hour until we are leaving for home…only one day until I start my life again, but this time with Katniss.


	14. Chapter 14

**short, only cuz the nxt ch is the epilogue... three years ago, for a reminder, is when i wrote this. dont judge me based on this story cuz i hate this story. I've improved so much.**

Chapter Fourteen

On the train we are directed to the dining car, where we eat and talk about the stay in the capitol. Afterwards we go into our rooms and get changed into more casual clothes, for me a pair of denim shorts, and a brown shirt. I walk around the train a little bit, exploring the dining car, the screening car, and the great car, where the train's living room is. I find Katniss curled up on one of the couches looking at her mockingjay pin that Madge gave her. I sit next to her, and we are silent for a while. She finally looks up from the pin and speaks to me, in a tired voice. "I haven't even had the time to think about what Madge thinks of all this." She locks her eyes on mine, and I move in close to her.

"That's good. It won't distract you. Because that's what you don't need-another person to keep you from doing what you need to do." I argue.

"No one does. Because when I start to get distracted, I just think of you, and that you're in this with me." She smiles, her eyes still locked on mine. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and she rests her head on mine.

We stay like this, until Haymitch finds us. "You guys need to get some sleep." He orders rubbing his hands through his head. We trudge down to our rooms, and Katniss follows me into mine. We get into bed, and sleep soundly the whole night. In the morning it's pretty settle, with no meetings, or big events. A matter of fact, no one converts with anyone, until we are whisked off the train and into a car. We ride in silence, besides the occasional comment of we're-almost-home's. We pull to a sudden stop and Effie turns to us. "We are almost there. Ready for the big arrival?" she asks. We nod and I grasp her hand just before we get out of the car, just as I did in the first games return.


	15. Chapter 15

Epilogue

Our return was indeed a big deal, but life settled down about a year afterwards. Katniss and I are happily living together, engaged to be married in a month, and raising our dog, Sniff, who we consider our first child. Gale got a job in the mines and is still good friends with Katniss and I, and Prim is constantly bugging us about having children, so she can be an aunt. Haymitch is our neighbor, and he drops by regularly to make sure we are okay, and to grab the bottles of whiskey shipped every week, Effie is now mentoring the next group of tributes, so we can have a break for our engagement gift, and Ryan is our other neighbor, who has found himself a girlfriend, and owns a cat, who he named buttercup, after Prim's cat. I guess that you could say that life really is good.

Katniss finally got over her nightmares, but does wake. When she does I comfort her just as I did in the capitol. We both know we dread the moment when we have to let go.


End file.
